When driving down Texas Street in Salem, Virginia, you may have noticed the water tower standing tall across from the Home of The Spartans. You might have also observed the big blue letters painted with the phrase "SALEM" - "Virginia's Championship City." There's no argument against this claim, as the City of Salem, Virginia, prepares to host its 100th NCAA National Championship this weekend.
From December 1st to December 3rd, the NCAA DIII Men's and Women's Soccer Championships will take place at Roanoke College's Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia. These two National Championship Games will mark the 100th and 101st NCAA National Championship games played in "Sunny Salem," Virginia.
Since 1993, Salem has crowned 99 NCAA Champions in Baseball, Basketball, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball. Eighteen of these NCAA Champions have been in Division II, featuring Softball at Moyer Sports Complex and Lacrosse at Roanoke College's Kerr Stadium. The remaining 81 NCAA Champions are in Division III, which also feature Softball and Women's Lacrosse, in addition to Basketball at the Salem Civic Center and Baseball at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
Twenty-five of those 81 NCAA DIII Champions were crowned in a game tagged the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the NCAA DIII Football National Championship. From 1993-2017, Salem Stadium hosted the Stagg Bowl for 25 straight years, or better yet, half the lifespan of the NCAA DIII National Championship. In 2017, the NCAA decided to move away from Salem, but following a traveling venue schedule for the previous four National Championship Games, the NCAA will return to Salem, Virginia, on December 15th for its 50th Stagg Bowl Anniversary Game.
Claiming a city as the championship city of its state may seem like a bold claim until that city has hosted over 100 NCAA National Championships. Here's to 100 more!
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